Melbourne-based vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Stephen Murray puts an intensely personal stamp on his self-titled EP Evahfar, performing every instrument and vocal part himself from his home studio. Drawing from the haunting sensuality of Jeff Buckley, PJ Harvey and Radiohead, Murray balances DIY roughness with polished atmosphere, turning songs about personal freedom and growth into something intimate, mysterious and deeply immersive.
“SEER-sha” immediately pulls the listener into that world. Gritty atmospheric guitars pulse incessantly while distant cymbals rustle like something moving through the darkness. Murray enters in a rich, sensual low register, singing slowly and softly but with striking depth. The performance feels almost hypnotic, particularly as the lyrics drift through moonlit oceans, cosmic dust, distant stars and a mysterious shrine.
“Vines” takes that atmosphere somewhere more earthly without losing its dreamlike quality. Moody, glistening guitars shimmer beneath Murray’s soft vocals as the imagery shifts between wild growth and an urban landscape of neon lights and cracked sidewalks. The recurring contrast between vines reaching beyond the sky and a city that seems determined to hold them back gives the track a quiet sense of rebellion. Its message of courage and travelling the distance feels especially fitting for an EP rooted in freedom and growth.
Then “Shadow Falls” brings everything inward again. Gentle instrumentation leaves room for Murray’s deep, intimate voice to take centre stage, delivered with the same sensual restraint that defines the EP’s darker moments. Images of storms, silver light, shadows and the need to “bring the sun” give the song a beautiful tension between darkness and hope.
All in all, Evahfar feels like one artist stepping into a private universe and inviting us inside. Its slightly raw production only strengthens that intimacy, while Murray’s singular performance makes the EP feel unusually personal.
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Review by: Naomi Joan